The invention is related to fiber optic or electrical connectors. More particularly, the invention is related to a crimp plug for use in such connectors.
Connectors typically are utilized for terminating a plurality of conductors. These conductors may be either electrical wires or fiber optic light guides such as fibers. The conductors are typically arranged in a cable having an outer jacket surrounding a plurality of insulated conductors. In between the conductors and the outer jacket, other optional components of the cable include shielding, strength members, or intermediate insulated layers. In order to terminate the conductors, the outer jacket and the other optional components are typically stripped back from the individually insulated conductors. Individually insulated conductors may be utilized without an outer jacket. Each of the insulated conductors is then further stripped to expose and terminate the respective conductor to the connector. The conductors are typically inserted from a rear end of the connector. Various terminations may be utilized. For example, in electrical connectors, each wire is typically terminated to either a pin or a socket and then inserted into the connector housing. For fiber optic connectors, each individual fiber or a plurality of fibers is typically terminated to a l-rule which is then inserted into the connector housing.
The conductors are often passed through intermediate components before entering the conductor receiving end of the housing. These intermediate components may be utilized to properly position a plurality of conductors for terminations at a mating end of the housing. One such intermediate component is known as a crimp plug. Typically, a crimp plug is positioned at the rear end of the connector housing and receives the plurality of conductors through a cavity passing from the rear end into the connector housing. An outer surface of the crimp plug receives the outer jacket of the cable and a crimp ring is compressed over the outer jacket to secure the outer jacket to the crimp plug. In the case where individually insulated conductors are used the crimp ring is not used. The stripped conductors pass through the crimp plug for termination at the mating end of the connector housing and the crimp plug is typically secured within the rear end of the connector housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,595 (Jennings et al.) discloses a fiber optic connector for joining a bundle of jacketed optical fibers to an optical device that requires a linear array or arrays of stripped optic fibers at the connection interface. Block shaped portions are provided in the connector for receiving jacketed fibers. The grooves have a transition portion so that a front portion is large enough to accommodate only stripped cores of the fibers. Complementary posts and holes are utilized for assembling block portions to each other. An inner wedge member is attached to an outer cell which encases the assembled block portions. Resilient latch fingers are provided on the back wall of the shell for retaining fibers which have been prepared as shown in FIG. 4 of that patent. Alternate embodiments are also shown wherein slots have transition sections each for receiving a jacketed fiber or a stripped core.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,055 (Bennett et al.) shows a method and apparatus for connectorizing fiber optic cable. The apparatus has a jumper buffer seat and a jumper insert. The jumper buffer seat features bores having tapered openings to facilitate insertion of stripped and of jumpers or fibers through the bores. a Small flats are provided along the tapered sections for allowing only stripped fibers to pass into the forward sections, of the bore. The jumper insert has a singular tapered channel for transitioning the plurality of fibers into a linear array. A completed splice is enclosed in the splice housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,948 (Despouys) teaches a fiber optic connector ferrule having a support sleeve preferably made of a deformable metal material. The support sleeve is inserted into a barrel having a passage which is large enough to only pass a stripped fiber. The fiber is fixed to the ferrut by crimping the sleeve.
While these patents show devices for limiting conductor insertion, none provide a method for terminating or securing an outer jacket. Known crimp plugs, while providing a method for securing an outer jacket, do not provide control of conductor insertion length. A problem therefore exists with such crimp plugs in that during assembly, the pre-stripped cable is manually inserted into the rear end of the crimp plug until a desired length of stripped conductors extend out of the front end. When handling a plurality of conductors, it is often difficult to achieve equal lengths of stripped conductors extending out of the front end. If some conductors are inserted farther than others, additional stresses will be applied to these conductors when a pulling force is applied to the terminated cable in a completed connector assembly.
An additional problem exists in that crimp plugs having a singular cavity for receiving a plurality of conductors present difficulty in properly arranging the conductors for termination at the mating end of the connector. Once the singular cavity is populated with conductors, the conductors must be manually arranged to be terminated in their respective positions at the mating end of the connector.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved crimp plug for use in a connector wherein insertion length and positioning of the conductors are controlled.
This and other objects have been achieved by providing a crimp plug having a front portion which is insertable into the cable receiving end of a connector, a mid portion having a passageway for receiving a plurality of conductors, and a securing portion extending rearward from the mid portion. The securing portion has a plurality of conductor receiving passageways extending from a rear end into the mid portion. A stop shoulder is provided within the crimp plug to control conductor insertion length.